Segal



Feb. 7, 1956 Y s. SEGAL 2,733,893

STAPLE EXTRACTOR Filed May 29, 1951 United States Patent Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 29, 1951, Serial N o. 228,869

4 Claims. (Cl. 25428) This invention relates to a staple extractor for removing staples from sheets of paper or other material which have been secured together by the staples or into which the staple has been driven.

it is an object of this invention to provide a staple extractor that is simple and inexpensive in construction, easy to use, and capable of removing clinched staples from sheets of paper or other material quickly and etliciently without tearing or damaging the sheets.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide a staple extractor in which the legs of the staple being removed are straightened over a relatively fixed part of the extractor, and the movable part moves inside the fixed part so that the removed staples can not get stuck on the movable part, and the movable part moves back automatically immediately after each staple removing operation so that the staple extractor is ready for another staple removing operation. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is an inverted perspective view of a staple extractor embodying the invention;v

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the fixed part of the staple extractor engaged with a clinched staple about to be removed;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View, taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the staple extractor showing the parts in the relative positions occupied at the conclusion of a staple removing operation; andv Figure 5 is a cross sectional View, taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a tubular sheath comprising a top wall 3 and a pair of side walls 4. Throughout a substantial portion of its length the sheath 2 is channel shaped, and does not have any bottom wall. The rear end portions of the side walls are bent outwardly at right angles to form finger pieces 5. The finger pieces may be formed as a separate member and secured to the sheath in any suitable manner, but it is preferred to make them integral with the sheath. The side walls 4 are each provided with a recess 6 adjacent the forward end of the staple extractor. The recesses 6 are open at the bottom of the sheath and each has one wall 7 curved to provide a cam surface terminating in a sharp pointed projection 8 extending rearwardly relative to the end of the sheath adjacent the recesses. These projections terminate in the plane of the bottom of the sheath so that they may be inserted under the body portion of a clinched staple 9. The bottom edges of the side walls 4 are generally straight except for the portion between the projections 8 and the adjacent end which are curved slightly, as indicated at 10, to facilitate proper engagement of the projections 8 with the staple 9.

A pusher member 11 is mounted in the sheath 2 in a manner hereinafter described. The pusher member comprises a rectangular bar 12 of a width corresponding ap- 2,733,893 Patented Feb. 7, 1956 proximately to the distance between the inner surfaces of side walls 4 of the sheath. The top wall of the pusher member fits against the top wall 3 of the sheath. The forward end 13 of the pusher has a height substantially equal to the height of the side walls of the sheath so that its bottom surface 14, which is fiat, lies in the same horizontal plane as the projections 8. The forward end 13 of the pusher terminates in a cam surface 15, oppositely disposed relative to the cam surfaces 7 of the sheath, which has a sharp tip 16 normally spaced rearwardly from the projections 8 in a manner hereinafter described. The sides of the forward end 13 of the pusher are preferably beveled, as indicated at 17, to facilitate engagement with the staple to be removed.

The body, portion of the pusher member 11 rearwardly of its forward end 13 is of less height than the forward end and a shoulder 18 extends vertically upward from the bottom surface 14 at the rear edge of the forward end. The side Walls 4 of the sheath have portions 19 bent inwardly at right angles to fit under the bottom of the portion of pusher 11 rearwardly of its forward end i3. The forward edges of the portions 19 of the sheath abut the shoulder 18 to limit the rearward movement of the pusher 11 relative to the sheath. When the pusher member is in the position normally occupied by it, the shoulder 18 abuts the forward edge of portions 19 of the sheath, the tip 16 of forward end 13 is positioned rearwardly of projections 8, and the rear end of the pusher member extends rearwardly of the finger pieces 5 a distance greater than the distance between the tip 16 and the forward end of the sheath, as shown in Figures l and 2.

The pusher member 11 is provided with a longitudinally extending opening 20. p A rivet 21 extends through the opening 20 and both side walls 4 to slidably secure the pusher member in the sheath 2. A coiled compression spring 22 is positioned in the opening 20 with one end bearing against the side of rivet 21 and the other end bearing against the end of the opening 20 to urge the pusher member rearwardly relative to the sheath and to hold the pusher member in its normal position in which the tip 16 is spaced rearwardly of the projections 8. A finger piece 23, of any suitable shape, is secured to the end of pusher member 11 by means of a screw 24 which projects into the opening 20 and into the end coils of the spring 22 to prevent accidental displacement of the spring.

The finger piece 23 cooperates with finger pieces 5 of the sheath to facilitate longitudinal sliding movement of the pusher member 11 relative to the sheath. In using the staple extractor the projections 8 are positioned in engagement with one edge of a staple 9 clinched against a plurality of sheets 25 and the pusher member is moved forwardly, against the action of spring 22, by pressure of the users thumb against finger piece 23, aided by the finger pieces 5 which are normally held against movement by the users fingers, as indicated in Figure 4. When the tip 16 of forward end 13 engages the opposite edge of the staple 9 it is forced thereunder by continued pressure, and cam surface 15 forces the staple upwardly along cam surfaces 7. As the staple 9 is lifted upwardly out of clinched position, itsY legs engage the outer surfaces of side walls 4 of the sheath, which is fixed in its position, and are straightened thereby so that they do not tear or mutilate the sheets while the staple is being removed. The finger piece 23 engages finger pieces 5 to limit the forward movement of the pusher member 11 relative to the sheath 2. As soon as the pressure against finger piece 23 is released, spring 22-moves the pusher member rear# wardly until shoulder 18 abuts the forward edges of portions 19 of the sheath and the parts are again in their normal positions.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable. detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather-than restrictive, as man-y details may be modified or changed Without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desirefto be'restricted tothe exact structure described, except as limitedby the appended claims.

l claim:

Y 1. In a staple extractor, a pusher member and a channel member having three walls juxtaposed against corresponding walls of said pusher member, said members being slidable longitudinally relative to each other, said channel member having portions extending inwardly to t under the bottom of said pusher member to limit relative sliding movement of Vsaid pusher and channel members in one direction and to prevent separation thereof, and oppositely disposed cam surfaces on each of said members, said cam surfaces extending upwardly in contiguous Vertical planes and being normally separated longitudinally from each other and meeting initially in a 2. A staple extractor comprising a pusher member having its forward end terminating'in an upwardly extending cam surface, a longitudinally extending opening in said pusher member, a sheath partially enclosing said pusher member, means extending transversely'through said sheath and said opening to secure said pusher and sheath against separation while permitting relative longitudinal movement therebetween, a coiled compression spring positioned in said opening, said spring urging said pusher in one direction relative to said sheath, a finger piece positioned adjacent the rear end of said pusher, a screw securing said linger Apiece to the rear end of said pusher and extending into said opening and into the coils of said spring adjacent one end thereof to maintain said one end properly pcsitioned'in said opening, and a pair of parallel cam surfaces extending vertically on saidr sheath and cooperating with said pusher camV surface to engage a clinched staple and extract it upon relative longitudinal movement of said pusher and said sheath against the action of said spring.

3. A staple extractor comprising a. pusher member having its forward end terminating in an upwardly extending cam surface, a longitudinally extending opening in said pusher member, a sheath partially enclosing said pusher member, meanseXtending transversely through said sheath and said opening to secure said pusher and sheath against separa-tion while permitting relative 1ongitudinalV movement therebetween, a coiled compression spring positioned` inA said opening, said spring urging said pusher in one direction relative to said sheath, a nger piece positioned adjacent the rear end of said pusher, a screw securing said linger piece tothe rear end. of said pusher and extending into said opening and into the coils of said spring adjacent one end thereof t0 maintain said one end properly positioned in said opening, another nger piece extending laterally from one end of said sheath and cooperating with said rst mentioned linger piece to facilitate relative longitudinal movement between said pusher and said sheath against the action of said spring, and a pair of parallel cam surfaces extending vertically on said sheath and cooperating with said pusher cam surface to engage a clinched staple and extract it upon relative longitudinal movement of said pusher and said sheath against the action of said spring.

4. A staple extractor comprising a tubular sheath, a recess adjacent one end of said sheath, said recess being open at the bottom of said sheathY and having one edge curved to forma sharp pointed projection extending rearwardly relative to the end of the sheath adjacent said recess and terminating in the plane of the bottom of said sheath, whereby it may be inserted under a clinched staple, a pusher member slidably mounted in said sheath, said pusher having one end normally positioned adjacent said recess, said pusher end having a substantially flat bottom lying in the plane of the bottom of said sheath and terminating in an upwardly extending cam surface, said pusher References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,033,050 Pankonin Mar. 3, 1936 2,079,672 Allen et al. May ll, 1937 2,539,171 Yerkes lan. 23, 1i951 2,549,260 Sudbury Apr. 17, 1951 2,631,816 Neilsen Mar. 17, 1953 

